Some Biblical Allusions . . . Fahrenheit 451 Some Biblical Allusions . . .

Matthew As Montag rides the subway, he attempts to keep some of the “sand in the sieve” by memorizing a verse from the Bible: “Consider the lilies of the field.” This verse is from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, where he tells those gathered not to worry, for if God takes care of nature, He will surely take care of people. Interestingly, as Montag attempts to memorize scripture, he is interrupted by the words of an advertisement for toothpaste – Denham’s Dentrifrice (78-80). SIGNIFICANCE?

Ecclesiastes Montag “is” the Book of Ecclesiastes: Granger tells him, “Walk carefully. Guard your health. If anything should happen to Harris, you are the Book of Ecclesiastes” (151). This book is found in the Old Testament. The author considers human life “under the sun” and concludes that history repeats itself – nothing new happens. Depression results if one is to seek only earthly things. As the novel ends, Montag is reciting literature with the men. During his turn, he struggles to recollect an excerpt from Ecclesiastes: “To everything there is a season. Yes. A time to break down, and a time to build up. Yes. A time to keep silence, and a time to speak. Yes, all that” (165). SIGNIFICANCE?

Revelation Montag has also memorized the final book in the New Testament: Revelation. Revelation is a dream recounted by the Apostle John, in which he sees the destruction of the earth. At the end of the book, John sees a new Jerusalem – heaven on earth, where there is no more dying nor suffering. After recalling the words from Ecclesiastes, Montag struggles to remember an excerpt from Revelation: And on the other side of the river was there a tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month; And the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations” (165). He decides to save those words for when he and the men reach the city. SIGNIFICANCE?